


A Future with Options

by TrueRogue



Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Aftermath, F/M, Gryffindor, Hogwarts, Ministry of Magic, Plans For The Future, Quidditch, Survival
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 16:13:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,314
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12214314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TrueRogue/pseuds/TrueRogue
Summary: Harry Potter wants to reconcile with Ron Weasley's sister, Ginny and resume their relationship.  Set immediately after the main plot of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.





	A Future with Options

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: this work of apocrypha is strictly a subjective imagining of interim events taking place between texts written by J. K. Rowling. It is strictly intended for entertainment purposes.

Three days after the Battle of Hogwarts had occurred, Harry found himself waking up close to noon, having slept for nearly two of the three days, hungry and his eyes bloodshot. He had apparently cried on his sleep. When he stopped to think of what he had been dreaming before he awoke, the image that came to mind was one of the people he had lost, Fred, Remus, Tonks, Collin and Lavender. Their faces swam in front of him in his dream, inches away from his, and then replaced by the screaming, screeching, crazed faces of Lord Voldermort and Bellatrix LeStrange. But, it hadn't been those faces that woke him, the faces of the dead, the slaughtered. It was when the face of Bellatrix mutated into the face of - Ginny??????

=========================

He pulled back the hangings of his four-poster bed. The seventh year dormitory was deserted. Harry wondered if Ron, Neville, Seamus and Dean were in the Great Hall. After several seconds, Harry realized that Ginny was alive and well. He then wondered where she was. He rose, dressed and decided that he should head for the Great Hall to eat something. Not quite ready to talk to anyone other than Ron and Hermione - unless he happened to run into Ginny - Harry once again reached for his invisibility cloak. Down in the common room, he found only Hermione pouring over a book, Numerology and Gramatica. He pulled off the cloak before exiting the spiral staircase.  
"Hi," he said.  
"Hi," she replied, "I hope you've been able to sleep."  
"I have, thanks," said Harry.  
Hermione smiled and nodded.  
"How come you're studying?" Harry asked, "I thought Professor McGonagall cancelled all examinations."  
"I know," said Hermione, "but I still wouldn't feel right if I didn't try to take the exams."  
Now, Harry smiled. "I wonder if my mum would've had the same reaction. Everyone said she was like you"  
After a few seconds, he asked, "Where's everyone else, Hermione? Have you seen them?"  
"I think they're all outside," said Hermione, "Ron, Neville and Padma were trying to comfort Pavarti."  
Harry momentarily felt as if there were stones on his insides. Hermione knowingly responded, "It wasn't your fault, Harry. Every one of us knew what could happen. Just like you did."  
"I know," said Harry, "but that doesn't make it any easier. Are you going to go down to eat?"  
"I was thinking about it," said Hermione.  
"Let's go then," said Harry, "I'm starving."

=========================

As they exited through the Fat Lady's portrait together, there was Ron. They all looked at each other briefly with a mixture of relief, grief and pride. It was finally sinking in how much they had accomplished together without having finished their education, what they had lost for it and what they had gained. Harry and Hermione were not in a rush to bring up Fred's death. It was still a raw and sensitive subject for all of them. There would come a time for it, but until then, Harry knew that Ron's first priority was in spending time with Hermione.  
Now as they were walking down to the Great Hall, both Ron and Hermione were looking at Harry curiously. They could tell he was thinking seriously about something.  
"What's up, Harry?" asked Ron, "I know what's happening when you get that expression."  
Harry snorted. "You know me well."  
"I bet I know what it is," said Hermione, and she suddenly got a Cheshire Cat look on her face. "Now Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters are finished and we're out of danger, you're trying to decide if you should try getting back together with Ginny."  
Harry blushed. "You know me well too, Hermione."  
He turned to Ron. "You know the last thing I wanted was to break Ginny's heart, don't you Ron?" he asked.  
"I know," Ron said, "do you really think you can try and make it work?"  
They stopped walking near the top of the marble staircase. Harry looked at Ron, and suddenly, without even thinking, the words he had been sitting on since Dumbledore's funeral tumbled out of him. "I love her, Ron."  
After a momentary silence, during which Harry's words seemed to hang over the corridor, Ron finally smiled at Harry and said, "And she loves you, Harry. She always has."  
"In all honesty, what I want now is to find Ginny and ask her if she would be willing to try again," said Harry, "but first, I'd like something to eat."  
They all smiled at each other, then proceeded down the marble staircase and into the Great Hall. The noontime sunlight pouring in from the ceiling seemed to heighten Harry's feelings of optimism and hope, as they approached the Gryffindor table and saw sitting near the end - Ginny.

=========================

After lunch, Ron asked Hermione, who was sitting next to him across from Harry and Ginny, if she would like to go back to the common room for a game of chess. As they left the Great Hall together, Harry wondered if that's what they really were going to do. In his mind, he returned to the moment three nights previously when they had kissed. Then, he turned to look at Ginny. Was Ron telling him the truth? Did Ginny truly love Harry? Did she love him enough to give him a second chance?  
"Ginny, could we please go outside?" Harry asked after two minutes.  
Ginny glowed. "I'd love to," she said.  
Out in the grounds, Harry and Ginny walked shoulder to shoulder towards the lake. When they reached the beach tree on the shore near Hagrid's house, Ginny stopped walking. Harry turned to face her. She held up a hand to prevent him from talking.  
"I know what you wanted to ask me, Harry," said Ginny, "and I'll listen to it. But first, I've got a question for you."  
Harry nodded. Ginny continued.  
"Did Ron abandon you while you were on the run?"  
Harry's mouth fell open. Ginny folded her arms in front of her.  
"Come on Harry, I've known Ron my whole life. He did run, didn't he?"  
"Yes Ginny, he did," said Harry, "probably four months after Bill and Fleur's wedding."  
"You three had difficulty finding food, didn't you?" asked Ginny.  
"That was part of it," said Harry, "but we also found out about you, Neville and Luna getting caught trying to get hold of the sword. Ron was losing patience with our mission and the shortage of food, and that news made it worse."  
Ginny nodded.  
"Now that I'm talking to you about it," Harry went on, "I think Ron was right to run. Hermione and I were angry with him at the time, but I understand his reasons. Furthermore, Ron told us he wanted to come back the moment after he left." Saying it aloud was momentarily overwhelming for Harry. "He might not have been able to, if Dumbledore hadn't given him a way."  
"How?" asked Ginny, her arms falling to her sides as her mouth fell open.  
"The deluminator," Harry whispered so only she could hear, "whenever either of us said his name, Ron could hear it coming out of the deluminator, and it guided him to where we were."  
Ginny smiled broadly in amazement and dawning comprehension.  
"When he returned, I felt an even stronger sense of dedication and commitment between us than before. What's more, he saved my life," said Harry proudly, "He's the brother I never had."  
"I believe you entirely," said Ginny.

=========================

They heard a rustling sound in the Forbidden Forest. Turning instinctively, Harry saw that the windows of Hagrid's hut were closed. He was clearly in the forest with his brother, Grawp. Now, Harry sat down on the grass beneath the tree and reached for Ginny to follow him. She obliged.  
Ginny," he said tentatively, "I'm not sure if I have a right to ask you this. Now that the war with the Death Eaters is over and the danger is passed -"  
The words he wanted to say were lost between his mind and his mouth. Ginny cut in. "You want to know if I would be willing to give 'us' a second chance?"  
"The last thing I wanted to do was to break up with you last year," said Harry, "The whole time we were on the run, within an inch of our lives, it was almost impossible not to think of you. I had to leave you behind for your own protection, but I never stopped loving you."  
"Oh well, it was kind of terrible the way you kicked me aside the way that you did, right at the moment when everybody was already smarting from Professor Dumbledore's death," said Ginny sarcastically.  
Harry felt a momentary stab of frustration and put his face in his hand. He knew she was playing a game with him. When he looked up again, she was smiling at him warmly and forgiving. "I love you Harry. I've been holding out this whole time for you to say what you've said. If you really do want to carry on, my answer is yes."  
They were both beaming. Then, they leaned forward simultaneously and kissed.

=========================

Then, before they could break apart, a dark shadow descended over them. They both looked up. "Hagrid!" they both moaned in unison.  
"Sorry," said Hagrid, the part of his face not covered by his beard blushing, though the corners of his mouth were twitching. "I was just in the forest with Grawp. Came back and saw the two o' yeh here. Thought I'd say hello."  
"It's okay, Hagrid," said Ginny, "you would've found out soon enough."  
"Hagrid," said Harry, getting up and approaching the gamekeeper that had always been there for him, "you were so brave. I wanted to let you know they hadn't finished me yet, but I couldn't."  
"Oh, I know that Harry," said Hagrid, and they embraced. For once, Hagrid's hug didn't leave Harry's ribs in pain. "I'll leave you two alone. Don' hesitate to call on me, either one of yeh." And smiling broadly, he turned and strode towards his hut.  
Smiling at Hagrid's departing back, Harry and Ginny began walking around the lakeshore. Harry asked her what she planned to do once she finished her Hogwarts education.  
"I've been thinking long and hard about that," said Ginny, "during Professor Slughorn's Christmas party a year-and-a-half ago, I got to meet Gwenog Jones. And apparently, she was in the Quidditch stadium during the final match of the year when you were in detention with Professor Snape."  
"So, she would like you to join the Hollyhead Harpies?" Harry asked, becoming excited. He recalled very clearly having seen Ginny's poster of the Harpies in her bedroom at home. He knew of her passion for Quidditch, as well as her natural skill, and if the captain of a professional team had expressed interest in recruiting Ginny, Harry thought she would be wise to accept the offer.  
"Just the reserve team, once I finish here," said Ginny.  
"I assume you're going for it,"said Harry, beaming at her.  
"You assume right," said Ginny, and both of them laughed.  
"It shouldn't take you long to make the main team. And, I'll do what I can to make it to your first game," said Harry.  
"I would expect nothing less," said Ginny.  
They continued walking. A few silent minutes later, Ginny said, "I overheard McGinagall earlier today, saying that the seventh years who wished to become Aurors would be given the position automatically."  
"This is the first I'm hearing of it," said Harry.  
"I assume you're going for it," said Ginny. Harry laughed.  
"You assume right," he said, "and I bet Ron will do it too."  
"If I were you, I would make sure you tell that to McGonagall," said Ginny.  
"I will, tonight," said Harry.  
"I imagine you'll make a lot of people proud, Harry," said Ginny.  
"I hope so, Ginny," said Harry.  
They went back up to the castle, up to the Gryffindor common room where Ron and Hermione were sitting silently near the fireplace, the chessboard next to them untouched. They weren't aware of the offer Ginny mentioned to Harry. All four of them left Gryffindor Tower together and headed for the new headmistress, Professor McGonagall's office. Ginny waited outside, while Harry and Ron arranged job placement in the Ministry of Magic as dark wizard catchers. Hermione asked for a different Ministry position, in the department for the regulation and control of magical creatures, clearly determined to fulfill her goal of bringing freedom to the house elf population of Britain. (Ron half-jokingly remarked how she could have opted to work outside the system as a renegade.)

=========================

That night at the dinner table, Ron told them that he'd received a letter from George, apologizing for the way the twins had treated Ron when they were growing up. He'd said that everything was so clear when they were together and that certainty was gone.  
"What's he planning to do?" asked Hermione.  
"He says he wants to keep the jokeshop going in Diagon Alley," said Ron, "but he can't do it alone. I think I'd like to join him there, even though Harry and I just got jobs at the Ministry."  
"Take some time and think it through, Ron," said Ginny and Hermione together. Everyone looked at each other and laughed.  
"They're right, Ron," said Harry, "let's do this job first. And honestly, we all still need time to absorb what just happened. George may decide to change careers. If he hasn't and you still wish to join him there, feel free. I'm sure the Auror position will still be there if you choose to change back."  
They all smiled at each other again. But, they were really smiling at the idea of a future with options. It made a remarkable change after the dogged, painstaking journey they had just completed


End file.
